Unit pinion support for multicolor printing machines



Get. 9, 1934. H. A. SMITH El AL 1,975,981

UNIT 'PINION SUPPORT FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 21, 1933 2 Sheets-Sheet l 35 2a @oaya I aworz Get. 9, 1934. H. A. s n' AL v 1,975,981

UNIT PINION SUPPORT FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINES Filed Dec. 21, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 d k 3. Qj'tz r? tap n67 ffo Patented Oct. 9, 1934 umrso STATES PATENT oFeicE UNET PINION SUPPORT FOR MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINES Massachusetts Application December 21,1933, Serial No. 703,438 Claims. (01. lob-182i This invention relates to machines for printing in colors on any material. These machines are of the rotary type using intaglio copper rolls for the printing cylinders. Several of these rolls are arranged-around the impression cylinder and the former are driven by a series of pinions meshing with a central or main gear. For different kinds of printing, copper rolls of different sizes have to be used and therefore these rolls have to be removed when the figure is to be changed to a different length and the rolls replaced by rolls of another size.

.In our Patent No. 1,783,889, patented December 2, 1930, we disclosed a form of gearing for the purpose of facilitating the necessary changes in the diameters of the rolls and the adjustment of the pinions that operate them to avoid the necessity :of changing these pinions every time the rolls were changed.

The principal objects of this invention are to provide a more convenient form of adjustment for these pinions; to provide a unit support for the pinions which can be assembled as a unit and attached to the frame of the machine most conveniently; to provide a rigid and accurate support for the pinion frame, and to permit adjustments to be made without stopping the machine.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is an end view of a multicolor printing machine showing a preferred embodiment of the invention with the parts at one side shown in section;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view of the same on the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 1 of a part of the main frame only;

Fig. 4 is a similar View of the same part of the frame showing the supplemental frame on adjusted for a different sized printing roll than that shown in Fig. 1.

The entire machine is mounted on two end frames 10, only one of which is shown herein. On this frame is a driving shaft 11, driven from any desired source, on which is mounted a driving pinion 12. bearing 13 at one end on a bracket 14 carried by the frame 10. The pinion 12 drives the socalled intermediate or main gear 15. It will be understood that the impression cylinder 16 is driven by the printing rolls in the same way as is usual in this industry.

The main frame is provided with planing spots 17 against which lugs 18 carried by a supplemental frame 19 are placed. This supplementary frame is secured vto the main frame by a series of bolts 20. The frame 19 .is provided with a hub 21 carrying a shaft or stud 22 on which the gear is rotatably mounted. jThis hub is provided with a finished external surface on which is oscillatably mounted a pinion frame 23. The supplementary frame 19 is provided with an arcuate finished flat or plane surface 24 against which bears a similar finished surface 25 on the pinion frame. Gibs 26 are secured to the pinion frame and hold it tightly against the supplementary frame but allow it to slide thereon for adjustment. The stud 22 is provided with a safety collar 36 for holding the gear firmly in position. This gear, it will be seen is supported by the frame 19 directly and that frame is carried rigidly by the frame 10 and is stationary.

Carried by the pinion frame are a number of studs 27 on which are rotatably mounted pinions 28 meshing with gears 29 mounted on the ends of the rotary intaglio printing rolls 30. The shafts 31 of these rolls are mounted in the usual way and are provided with radially slidable blocks 32 adapted to be adjusted by screws 33 in projections 34 integral with the frame 10. On the outside of the pinions is an arcuate member 35 which constitutes a pinion guard held by the studs 27.

The pinion frame 23 is provided with a radial slot 37 which receives a square nut 38 capable of moving out and in slightly. Through this nut passes a tangential screw 39 carried by a lug 40 on the frame 19 and having a square end 41 by which it may be turned. Turning this screw moves the nut along it and this action moves the frames 23 and 35 circumferentially for adjustment of the pinions, as for example, from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. '7. This, of course, is done for the purpose of changing the diameters of the rolls 30 with which they are connected. An additional means for holding this adjustment is shown in the form of a slot and bolt 43.

It will be seen that the gear 15 and its pinions,

This shaft is supported in a together with the frame 23 and the frame 19, can be assembled as a unit and applied to the main frame 10 by means of the bolts 20 and that the unit is rigidly mounted while the adjustment of 5 the pinions is provided in a convenient way,

the whole adjustment taking place at one point and without adding undue mechanism. Adjustments can be made while the machine is in motion.

Having thus described our invention and the advantages thereof, we do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed, otherwise than as set forth in the claims, but what we claim is:

1. In a multicolor printing machine, the combination of a main supporting frame, a stationary supplementary frame detachably and rigidly mounted thereon, a pinion frame mounted and supported thereon and free to be adjusted about an axis, a series of pinions carried by the pinion frame, and a main gear, with which said pinions mesh,supported by the second named frame and rotatable about said axis, said parts being capable of being assembled as a unit, whereby the entire unit thereon can be attached to the main frame.

2. In 'a multicolor printing machine, the combination with a main supporting frame, of a supplementary frame rigidly and detachably supported thereby, said supplementary frame having a circular hub, a pinion frame mounted to turn on the hub for adjustment, pinions located on said pinion frame along an arc drawn from the center of said hub, and a central gear meshing with said pinions and rotatable about the axis of said hub.

3. In a multicolor printing machine, the combination with a main supporting frame, of a supplementary frame rigidly and detachably supported thereby, said supplementary frame having a finished arcuate plane surface and a circular hub, a pinion frame mounted to turn on the hub for adjustment and having a finished surface contacting the first named finishing surface, pinions located on said pinion frame along an are drawn from the center of said hub, a central gear meshing with said pinions and rotatable about the axis of said hub, and a pinion guard for all of said pinions carried by the pinion frame.

4. In a multicolor printing machine, the combination with a main supporting frame, of a supplementary frame rigidly and detachably supported thereby, said supplementary frame having a circular hub, a pinion frame mounted to turn on the hub for adjustment, pinions located on said pinion frame along an are drawn from the center of said hub, and a central gear meshing with said pinions and rotatable about the axis of said hub.

5. In a multicolor printing machine, the combination with a main frame, of a pinion frame turnable on an axis for adjustment, a series of pinions arranged along an are on said pinion frame, a main gear adapted to mesh with all of said pinions, means for driving the gear, an impression cylinder rotatable with the gear, printing rolls each connected with one of said pinions to be operated thereby, and contacting with the cylinder, said pinion frame having a radial slot, a nut in the slot, and a tangential screw carried by the main frame and passing through the nut for adjusting the pinion frame circumferentially.

HERMAN A. SMITH. GEORGE H. THOMSON. STEPHEN B. STAFFORD. 

